Clockwise from top: Volkswagen launches the ID. UNYX, the first model of the golden logo-bearing family, on July 17. The ID. UNYX coupe SUV. (From right) Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Brand China; Yang Fang, CEO of Volkswagen (Anhui) Digital Sales and Services; Nian Koukou, designer of the ID. UNYX and Erwin Gabardi, CEO of Volkswagen Anhui.

German carmaker Volkswagen is charging ahead into a new era in China, as a model bearing a golden version of its iconic logo hit the market last week in the world's largest vehicle market.

What proves refreshing is much more than the difference in the color of the logo, which has been the most familiar one in the country for the past 40 years.

The ID. UNYX, the brand's first-ever electric coupe SUV, marks a stride in smart e-mobility for Volkswagen to compete for its share in the increasingly competitive Chinese market.

Standing out are its progressive design and smart human-to-machine interface, as well as its personalized avatar and a range of over 600 kilometers, among other things.

Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Brand China, said: "The Volkswagen brand is built on constant reinvention. What we do best is translate customer trends into great products."

He said the model "combines true Volkswagen quality with a unique Chinese user experience".

It is more than just one model. The ID. UNYX is the name of a family of golden logo-bearing models that may prove to be new pillars of Volkswagen's development in China, where it is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The namesake coupe SUV is just the beginning, and it is to be joined by four more models, including SUVs and sedans, by 2026.

Yang Fang, CEO of Volkswagen (Anhui) Digital Sales and Services, said the new series are pioneering the new "golden rules" for Volkswagen with their distinctive dynamic aesthetics, scenario-based smart functions, agility and handling as well as reassuring quality.

"The ID. UNYX represents our commitment to creating superbly memorable golden moments for our customers," said Yang.

The coupe SUV is also the first model out of Volkswagen's Smart Mobility Hub in Hefei, capital of Anhui province.

The hub houses not only one of the carmaker's most advanced electric vehicle plants in the world but more importantly a state-of-the-art research and development facility that focuses exclusively on developing the latest generation of smart electric vehicles for tech-savvy Chinese car buyers.

The hub, the largest of its kind outside Germany, is the backbone of the German carmaker's "In China, For China" strategy, with a full value chain from R&D and production, to sales and services.

The ID. UNYX, technically and visually tailored to the lifestyle of young customers in China's metropolises, embodies the latest results of intelligently connected vehicles from Volkswagen.

Its progressive design is particularly powerful. Eye-catching elements at the front are the light signature of the LED matrix headlights including a horizontal LED strip as well as a striking powerdome.

The silhouette is characterized by a sharply cut character line that rises toward the rear. The rear of the vehicle in a sporty coupe style features a 3D structure of the LED taillights plus an illuminated horizontal strip and Volkswagen lettering.

The intricate LED elements create a floating light effect that is a perfect match for the progressive styling.

The rear-wheel drive version can achieve ranges of up to 621 km on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle. The all-wheel drive version can finish the sprint from 0-100 km per hour in 5.6 seconds.

The model's innovative human machine interface includes an interactive, AI-based 3D avatar whose appearance can be individually adapted in an app and synchronized with the vehicle HMI.

The avatar's voice can be configured based on a human voice and is capable of having conversations with the driver.

The model features a Large Language Model codeveloped with iFlytek that enables the system to learn and train itself. It is compatible with CarPlay, CarLife and HiCar to work with smartphones from different brands.

Popular Chinese entertainment apps like iQiyi, Youku and Tencent are available.

The ID. UNYX has Volkswagen's smart driving system IQ.Drive as standard. Functions such as smart parking, remote parking as well as memory-based parking are available thanks to the system as well as a set of ultrasonic radar pieces and 360-degree cameras.

In terms of reliability and safety, the model finished 179 collision tests and its battery pack went through 436 tests to live up to Volkswagen's longstanding reputation.

Volkswagen is building a new sales and service network for the ID.UNYX and forthcoming models in the series.

By the end of 2024, the network will cover 20 cities in the country and the figure will rise to 70 by 2025, reaching tier-one to tier-three cities.

Mecha said the ID. UNYX combines a confident, progressive design with a sustainable electric drive and state-of-the-art user experience.

"Intelligently networked electric models such as the new ID. UNYX are the key to attracting young, lifestyle-oriented target groups and retaining existing customers for the Volkswagen brand," he said.

The family of ID. UNYX models is a central component of the Volkswagen master plan for China, which envisages the introduction of a total of 34 new models by 2030 to strengthen the brand's position as the most successful international marque in the Chinese market.